Balloon carried antenna



April 1966 A. BARTOLINI 3,248,735

BALLOON CARRIED ANTENNA Filed Jan. 17, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet l April 1956A. BARTOLINI 3,248,735

BALLOON CARRIED ANTENNA Filed Jan. 17. 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVE AZ/fado 6 320/9zz United States Patent 3,248,735 BALLOON CARRIED ANTENNAAlfredo Bartolini, Rte. 1, Box 422, Furlong, Pa. Filed Jan. 17, 1962,Ser. No. 166,844 11 Claims. (Cl. 343-704) The present invention relatesto antennas for use in television and the like. The invention isbelieved to have particular application to homes, although it can beemployed in connection with industrial establishments such as gasolinestations, restaurants, or in communication system engineering as a probeantenna for antenna site determination.

The invention also has significant application in the military servicesduring war time. It provides a means of highly directional radiotransmission in an enemyheld location where it would be highly desirousto quickly elevate the antenna to any desired height for thetransmission and then quickly lower it for concealment or to move toanother location.

A purpose of the invention is to provide long range Ice 3,248,735

loon and stabilizer balloon in position above a building.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the antenna balloon andstabilizer balloon of FIGURE 1, looking at the side.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary elevation of the antenna balloon andstabilizer balloon of FIGURE 1 looking from the rear.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary elevation of the antenna balloonlooking from the front.

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of the antenna balloon,the stabilizer balloon being broken away.

FIGURE 6 is a. central longitudinal vertical section through the antennaballoon to enlarged scale.

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary central longitudinal plan section of theantenna balloon to enlarged scale.

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged top plan view of the bear-- ing of the swivelshown in various figures.

television reception without requiring the use of a mast or a tower tomaintain the antenna in an outdoor elevated and correctly orientedposition.

A further purpose is to permit easy removal and storage of a televisionantenna, and transportation to, and reinstallations at a new location.

A further purpose is to minimize the amount of time required to installa long range television antenna.

A further purpose is to render a television antenna more attractive,eliminating unsightly features such as a mast, permitting colorfuleffects, and even giving the illusion that the television antenna isfloating free in space.

A further purpose is to assist in stabilizing a buoyant televisionantenna against winds.

A further purpose is to avoid breaking off and bending of antennaelements due to the action of winds and weather.

A further purpose is to assist in-using a television antenna inadvertising.

A further purpose is to avoid difliculty from ice and snow in connectionwith a television antenna.

A further purpose is to facilitate installing a long range, outdoor typetelevision antenna indoors in a space in the upper portion of a housesuchas a loft or attic, or high ceiling areas such as an auditoriumwithout the necessity for modifications.

A further purpose is to provide a television antenna by means'ofmetallic layers or surfaces which are carried by or in connection with aballoon, and to connect a transmission line between the metallicsurfaces and television or other type receiver.

A further purpose is to'make a balloon having flat surfaces such as apyramid, and to provide an antenna connected to a transmission line andsuitably located on the balloon envelope preferably on the interior.

A further purpose is to stabilize the antenna pyramid so that it willremain in position with the base perpendicular to the ground.

A further purpose is to further stabilize the antenna pyramid by astabilizer balloon, preferably connected to the antenna balloon througha swivel and preferably of inverted pyramid form.

Further purposes appear in the specification and in the claims.

In the drawings I have chosen to illustrate a few only of the numerousembodiments in which the invention may appear, selecting the forms shownfrom the standpoints of convenience in illustration, satisfactoryoperation and. clear demonstration of the principles involved.

FIGURE 1 is a perspective showing the antenna halantenna. It alsosupports FIGURE 9 is a section on the line 99 of FIGURE 8, with theswivel added.

FIGURE 10 is a perspective showing the antenna balloon of the inventionanchored to a tree. FIGURE 11 is a vertical section through the antennaballoon of the invention omitting the antenna surface and thetransmission line but showing an electric heating device.

Describing in illustration but not in limitation and referring to thedrawings:

In the prior art, the conventional television antenna of the type usedon or adjacent to homes and industrial establishments such asrestaurants and gasoline stations is usually a permanent structuresupported by a mast or by towers, and involving not only considerableexpense but considerable time and trouble inerection. There is alsodanger in some cases of damage to the roof and this is especially so incase of a heavy storm.

Taking down and reerecting such a prior art television antenna isusually troublesome and expensive.

The prior art'television antenna is often'not a thingof beauty and infact, in some cases definitely detracts from the appearance of thepremises. This is not only true of the antenna but of the mast 'ortower'and the accompanying g-uy wires,

In accordance with the present invention, the antenna is associated withor made part of an inflatable balloon,

which performs several functions. In thepreferred embodiment it supportsthe metallicsurface of the antenna without the requirement of any mastor tower. It also positions the antenna surface in a suitable form,preferably more or less flat in which it can function as an thetransmission line wires from the antenna.

It also performs various related functions, including stabilizingagainst wind, preferably removing snow and ice, and in some cases addingto the appearance of the location at which it is installed.

Considering the invention more particularly in its pre-' ferred form, along range television reception system is provided which does notrequire a mast and does not require a tower or a pair oftowers, andtherefore will not damage the roof or other related structure. Theinitial cost and periodic maintenance cost is greatly reduced when theantenna must be installed at a considerable height because the mast orother rigid support is not required.

The device of the invention can readily be taken down and packed up intoa light, compact package by deflating the balloon. It can then bereinflated by connection to a gas cylinder and reinstalled readilyatanother location.

The antenna ,of the invention is so simple that it can be installed to aconsiderable height byjoneperson without a helper, without need forladders aridspecial tools, and without hazard to life and limb.

Patented Apr. 26, 1966 Since the conventional guy wires of the prior artare not required, the unsightly appearance of a prior art long rangetelevision antenna is avoided. In fact, the stabilizing lines and thetransmission line can be so light and can blend so well with thesurroundings that the antenna will appear to be floating freely in spacewith no visible means of attachment to the house,

Where desired, the antenna can be given a gala or colorful appearance.Thus the antenna can carry special decorations for'certain holidays, orcan bear some symbol, device or name associated with the owner. It canalso provide a space on which advertising can be displayed, or can carrya special message which will be plainly visible at a considerable heightabove the ground,

The television antenna of the invention is preferably self-stabilizingso that it will recover quickly from a gust of wind and thus will notgreatly change its position. The antenna system of the invention hassuch high gain on most VHF channels that temporary disorientation by agust of wind will not cause noticeable effect in television reception inmost areas.

While the invention in its best embodiment will usually be installed inthe air outside a house or building, it may if desired be made to blendwith the surroundings, for example by nesting the television antenna inthe top of a tree. This has a self-stabilizing effect during storms.

The television antenna of the invention can also be installed indoors,in which case the effect of the gas is to distend the envelope. Thus theantenna of the invention can be placed in a loft or attic or steeple,avoiding the necessity for attachment by nails and screws.

The slight vibration or flexing of the envelope of the balloon itselfwill tend to cause ice or snow to drop instead of remaining adhering. Ifdesired, however, the antenna may have built-in heating equipment tocause melting of ice and snow, as later explained.

Referring now first to the form of the invention shown in FIGURES l to9, the antenna balloon 20 has an envelope 21 of any suitable lightflexible gas-retaining fabric or layer, as well known in the art inballoon manufacture, suitable materials being rubber, polyvinylchloride, silk, rayon, nylon or the like, with suitable impregnatingcoatings as well known, to reduce gas transmission through the envelopewhere required,

A very effective material as used in my experiments is polyvinylchloride sold under the trademark Mylar, and having a thickness of theorder of .0015 inch (1.5 mils).

The envelope is filled with a gas lighter than air occupying theinterior space 22, the preferred gas being helium, but hydrogen or lighthydrocarbon gas being permissible. The gas will preferably benoninfiammable. Filling of the gas is suitably accomplished throughvalve 23, which may be conveniently of the type employed as a tirevalve, or balloon valve, although any other suitable type of valve maybe used. The valve 23 performs the function of filling and ofdischarging the gas where desired.

The preferred shape of the antenna balloon is that of a rectangular orpreferably a square pyramid, as shown. The pyramid has a base 24 whichis preferably positioned at right angles to the ground and is preferablysquare as shown, has two opposed triangular pyramid sides 25 which arearranged vertically and has two trapezoid sides 26 at the top and 27 atthe bottom, as shown.

Thus it will be evident that there are five generally straight sides,although, of course, the inflation may apply some bulging so that thesides will not be entirely plane.

The envelope is used to carry a very thin metallic layer 28 which willpreferably be on the inside but permissibly may be on the outside andwill preferably extend over each of the sides 25, with a very thinmetallic band 30 around the outer edge. The metallic layer 28 and theband 30 are desirably integral.

The metallic layer 28 and metallic band 30 will preferably be of foildimension or thinner and flexible, and may conveniently be applied byspraying a metal such as aluminum, gold, silver, copper, tin or othersuitable metal in a very thin layer which will not greatly increase theweight. Such very thin layers are well known in the art and have beenapplied extensively on plastics.

While the layer 28 with band 30 which forms an antenna element propermay be continuous, I have shown it as a network, applied, for example,by spraying through a mask, in order to further decrease the weight.

Thus in effect there are two antenna elements separated from one anotherand converging, which in a suitable antenna for example may be severalfeet apart at the base and a few inches apart at the apex.

Each of the antenna layers 28 with their respective bands 30 iselectrically connected to a transmission line terminal 31 and each ofthe transmission line terminals 31 is electrically connected to one ofthe wires of the two conductor line forming a transmission line 32, sothat both of the transmission line wires can be connected to thetelevision set to form the antenna. The transmission line 32 is suitablyheld to the bottom of the balloon by clips 33 so that it will descendfrom the edge of the balloon adjacent the bottom of the base.

The antenna balloon is conveniently moored in a manner to make itself-stabilizing. There are two lines 34, each of which branches and isconnected to one side of the vertical base of the pyramid by means of aline 35 to one top corner of the base and a line 36 to the adjoiningedge of the base near the bottom, the lines 35 and 36 being of suitablelength with respect to the angle at which the line 34 extends downwardso as to tend to hold the antenna balloon with the base 24 vertical.

At opposite positions which tend to divide the 360 angle into fourparts, lines 37 are provided which branch and connect to the bottom side27 of the pyramid by a line 38 connected to the adjoining edge of thebottom side 27 near the apex and a line 40 connected to the adjoiningedge of the bottom of the pyramid near its base 24 and therefore nearthe lowest point of the pyramid. The relative lengths of the lines 38and 40 are chosen so as to tend again to hold the pyramid in theposition shown with the base 24 vertical.

While the device may be used without other stabilization than that whichI have already described, it is preferable to employ a balloonstabilizer 41 which floats above the antenna balloon, as best seen inFIGURES l, 2 and 3.

The balloon stabilizer can be of any suitable shape, but preferablydiverges upwardly in the form of an inverted pyramid as shown, or aninverted cone, anchored at the apex to support line 42. The balloonstabilizer has an envelope 43 and is filled with one of the gases asmentioned through filling valve 44 which may be of the type of valve 23.

In the preferred embodiment, the balloon stabilizer line 42 connects tocone internal member 43 of a swivel by passing through opening 44' andthen through opening 45 of anchoring plug 46 and being suitably knottedat 47 at the bottom.

The internal cone 43' works within swivel bearing 48 which surrounds thecone and has internal projections 50 which prevent the cone from pullingup through the space between the projections.

The projections 50 preferably are sharp pointed in both directions asshown, and in the preferred embodiment both the cone 43' and the bearing48 are made of a low friction plastic such as polyfluorohydrocarbon, anexample being polytetrafluoroethylene. Other similar hydrocarbons suchas poly-fluoro-chloro-hydrocarbons may be employed.

The bearing 48 has outer anchorage eyes 51 which connect respectively tolines 52 extending from opposite edges of the balloon top surface 26near the apex, and to lines 53 extending from the top surface 26 onopposite sides near the base 24 so that the respective lines 52 and 53are generally disposed at positions to one another.

Thus the divergence of the lines 52 and 53 from the bearing 48 assuresthat orientation of the antenna balloon 20 will be influenced by theposition and orientation of the bearing 48.

The stabilizer balloon 41 exerts a steady upward pull on the antennaballoon through the swivel assembly. The inverted pyramid or othersimilar shape of the stabilizer balloon will tend to exert even greaterupward force with a momentary gust of wind passing across it. Thestabilizer balloon 41 will also move in the direction of the wind to acertain extent and that will cause a swivel action which will be unlikethat of the usual type swivel.

The internal member cone 43 will always tend to remain vertical and theswivel external member bearing 48 will pivot with the edge of thehearing which isv upwind moving upwards and theopposite edge of thebearing moving downward. This bearing action during a momentary gust ofwind assists greatly in maintaining correct horizontal plane orientationat the antenna balloon 20, even though the antenna position ismomentarily influenced by the wind.

The stabilizing lines of the antenna balloon 34 and 37 may be attachedto the ground (or a building) in any suitable manner, preferably so thatthe angles formed by any two lines to the adjoining lines will beapproximately at 90 when viewed from above.

To prevent the stabilizing lines from being noticeable, and so that theywill be durable and of suflicient strength,

ice and snow by flexing of the antenna balloon in the wind will not beadequate and in such cases I provide in the antenna balloon or thestabilizing balloon or both an electric heater 55 as shown in FIGURE 11.The illustration shows the antenna balloon. Instead of two of the tielines in this case, I use electric wires 37' connected to the high sideof the electric power source and 34' connected to the grounded side ofthe electric power source. The wires are I led in through gas tightseals 56 and 57 in the balloon they will suitably be of thin braided,prewaxed nylon cord of natural color, while the antenna transmissionline will also be of natural color.

The response of the antenna balloon to the wind will be readilyunderstood. A wind coming from the left or from the right (that is,striking against the surface shown in FIGURE 2 or its opposite surface)will tend to pivot the antenna balloon about a vertical axis with oneedge of the front moving toward the right and the other edge of thefront moving down. This movement will expose more of the bottom surfaceof the antenna balloon to the wind and the wind on the bottom surfacewill oppose further downward movement. One of the lines 53 to the swivelwill also oppose downward movement of the front edge of the balloon,because the side of the bearing to which the line is attached will bemoving in an upward position.

This same wind may instead cause a front edge of the antenna balloon tobegin to move in the opposite direction, but this would be opposed byone or more of the stabilizing lines.

If the wind were to come toward the forward edge (that is the surfaceshown in FIGURE 4), it would tend to cause the antenna balloon uppersurface to begin to tilt backward. But the action of such a wind on thestabilizer balloon will make the swivel lines 52 pull up and the swivellines will tend to hold the antenna balloon in the correct orientationto the ground. More of the antenna balloon movement will be cancelledout by some of the other stabilizer lines, which will oppose a shift inthe relationship of the antenna balloon.

If the wind comes from the rear (that is toward the apex), it will tendto move the antenna balloon forward and either up or down. The tieline-s 37, however, tend to prevent any great forward movement and ifthe antenna balloon tends to pivot, forward with the apex rising, lines53 to the swivel with lines 37 will oppose this movement. Also, if theantenna balloon forward surface begins to move down the bottom surfaceis exposed further to the wind and this will tend to correct thedifficulty.

Thus the device is effectively stabilized against movement in adirection which would cause it to lose its proper orientation. I

While the installation of the antenna balloon as shown in FIGURES 1 to 9is preferred, in some cases it will be desirable to blend the antennaballoon with the surroundings. This can be done by causing it to nest ina tree 54 as shown in FIGURE 10. The antenna balloon Without thestabilizer is allowed to rise in the air and is positioned envelope. Athermostatic switch 58 suitably closes the circuit automatically when alow temperature is reached and heats the gas within the balloon, thuscounteracting any tendency of snow or ice to adhere.

I have found that a successful television antenna according to theinvention can be made with the edges of the pyramid of the antennaballoon each about four feet, and a separation between the two antennasurfaces at the apex of about three inches.

Where the antenna balloon is placed indoors, the inflating gas can forexample be air.

In view of my invention and disclosure, variations and modifications tomeet individual whim or particular need will doubtless become evident toothers skilled in the art, to obtain all or part of the benefits of myinvention without copying the structure shown, and I, therefore, claimall such insofar as they fall within the reasonable spirit and scope ofmy claim.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an antenna system for use in television or the like,

7 an aerodynamically stabilized inflatable flexible envelope in thegeneral shape of a pyramid having a substantially flat surface, ametallic layer distributed along the flat surface of said envelope, saidpyramid shaped envelope having its base positioned substantiallytransverse to the ground and a transmission line connection from said metallic layer 'to the ground.

2.-An antenna of claim 1, having at least two opposed generally flatsurfaces on the pyramid with metallic layers being distributed alongboth surfaces, each connected to the transmission line.

3. An antenna of claim 1, in which said metallic layer is on the insideof the substantially flat surface of the envelope.

4. In an antenna, an inflatable balloon in the general form of a pyramidhaving substantially flat surfaces, a metallic layer on at least oneflat surface, a transmission line connected with the metallic layer andthe ground and a plurality of diverging lines connected to oppositesides of the pyramid to hold it in an aerodynamically stabilizedposition with the base of the pyramid being transverse to the ground,said lines being secured at points below the balloon.

5. An antenna of claim 4, having four such lines, two of which areanchored to the pyramid near the base and two of which are anchored toopposed sloping sides of the pyramid near the bottom thereof.

6. An antenna of claim 5, in which the lines anchored to the opposedsloping sides near the bottom are also anchored to the pyramid near thebottom of the base.

-7. An antenna of claim 4, having four such lines, two of which areconnected at opposite sides to the base of the pyramid nearest theground and also near the top and in which the other two lines areconnected to opposite bottom edges of the sloping sides of the pyramidat a point near the base and also at a point near the apex.

8. In an antenna system according to claim 4, including in combination astabilizer balloon above the antenna balloon and connected thereto by aline, with swivel means interposed in the line between the stabilizerballoon and the antenna balloon.

9. An antenna of claim 8, in which'the stabilizer balloon is of pyramidform.

10. An antenna of claim 8, in which the stabilizer balloon is ofinverted pyramid form.

11. In an antenna system according to claim I, including an electricheater in the inflatable envelope and electric circuit meansinterconnected to the electric heater to melt ice and snow on theinflatable envelope.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Pennock 343-706Plauson 343--706 Crosby 343706 Wilcoxon 2879l Riblet 343895 Underwood343706 Gilbert 287-91 Raabe 343915 Serge et a1. 343-704 Chatelain 3439l5HERMAN KARL SAALBACH, Primary Examiner.

ELI LIEBERMAN, Examiner.

1. IN AN ANTENNA SYSTEM FOR USE IN TELEVISION OR THE LIKE, ANAERODYNAMICALLY STABILIZED INFLATABLE FLEXIBLE ENVELOPE IN THE GENERALSHAPE OF A PYRAMID HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT SURFACE, A METALLIC LAYERDISTRIBUTED ALONG THE FLAT SURFACE OF SAID ENVELOPE, SAID PYRAMID SHAPEDENVELOPE HAVING ITS BASE POSITIONED SUBSTANTIALLY TRANSVERSE TO THEGROUND AND A TRANSMISSION LINE CONNECTION FROM SAID METALLIC LAYER TOTHE GROUND.